Abstract

Although social tourism has been seen in a number of countries as having potential to counter
social exclusion, formulating a definition for the term is difficult. "Social tourism" is used to
describe a variety of initiatives for a variety of different social groups. These range from holidays
for children from low-income backgrounds, through improving accessibility in hotels, to offering
ecological holidays. This article discusses the definitions of "social tourism," distinguishing host-related
and visitor-related forms, and aims to clarify its potential value in combating social exclusion.
It does so by examining the ethical values underlying the way social tourism is defined and
suggesting a theoretical framework for the effects of social tourism. Some ethical views of society
place an a priori moral duty on the stronger strata to support the weaker. Others do not judge the
support of the weaker strata as an a priori dominant ethical principle, and judge the welfare of the
state by the opportunity of all its strata. Ethical positions that see stronger strata as having a moral
duty to support the weaker are more likely to be supportive toward both host-related and visitor-related
social tourism. Those that do not will probably support host-related social tourism, but will
support visitor-related social tourism, if publicly funded, only if it can demonstrate benefits for the
whole of society. In Western liberal democracies where this is a prevailing view, visitor-related
social tourism might justify public expenditure as a potential tool to combat social exclusion. It
can be seen as a merit good if it improves excluded peoples' handicapping characteristics, through,
for example, beneficial effects in health, self-esteem, and improvement of family relationships.
However, there is little research to test its effectiveness in achieving these outcomes. Further
research is required to evaluate whether social tourism can have a significant role in combating
social exclusion, and thus justify support from public expenditure.